Fingerprint machine



1,516,120 F. J. ROONEY FINGERPRINT MACHINE Filed Oct. 30 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Nov. 18, 1924.

:! v wh 5w Nov. 18, 1924.

' F. J. RODNEY FINGERPRINT. MACHINE Filed 061;. so, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly; 4,

I 72116 TIZOP: IhsrnczLs-Ifioon Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

PATENT @FFEQE.

FRANCIS J. RODNEY, 0F PHILADEIPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ZEINGERPRINT MACHINE.

Application filed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnANors J. RooNnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fingerprint Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to finger print machines, that is to say, to apparatus adapted to facilitate the making of finger print records for identification purposes. My present invention relates more particularly to an improved form of device for inking the digits of the hand preparatory to making the impressions thereof on a suitable record sheet.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for supplying the ink in a convenient manner whereby the finger and thumb tips may be uniformly and properly inked preparatory to taking impressions thereof.

Heretofore various methods for applying the ink to the finger tips preparatory to taking impressions thereof have been employed, but these methods have been more or less objectionable in that the ink is not always uniformly and evenly applied, so that the impressions were more or less indistinct and blurred or smeared, and furthermore, considerable time and labor were consumed in keeping the inking device in proper condition.

My present invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of a device whereby the ink may be at all times evenly and uniformly distributed over a suitable plate for the purpose of inking the finger and thumb tips, and this with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator.

The nature and characteristic features of my present invention will be more readily understood fro-m the following description, taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a finger print machine provided with an inking de vice embodying the main features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section. taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken approximately on the line of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of my invention therein shown, 5 is a base upon which the various parts of the finger print machine are mounted. Supported on the base 5 is a suitable platen 6 and its associated mecha nism, upon which the record sheet 7 is adapted to be mounted and secured for the purpose of being supported during the taking of the impressions of the various finger and thumb tips. The particular construction and arrangement of the supporting platen G and its associated mechanism constitute no essential part of the present invention, the same being shown and described in a companion application for Letters Patent, intended to be filed herewith.

The inking device proper comprises a horizontally arranged disk 8 mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 9. lhe shaft 9 is journalled at its lower end in a bearing 10 and at its upper end in a journal 11 formed in a suitable bracket which is secured to the base 5 in any suitable manner. The shaft 9 also carries, fixedly secured thereto, a bevel pinion 13 which meshes with and is adapted to be driven by a bevel gear 14 which is mounted on the inner end of a horizontal shaft 15. Upon the outer end of the shaft 15 is secured a crank wheel 16 having a handle 17 for manual actuation by the operator. The horizontal shaft 15 is ournalled in a suitable standard 18, which also is secured in any suitable manner to the base member 5.

There is also secured to the base member 5 a standard 19 which extends vertically upward. From the upper end of the standard 19 there extends a horizontal portion 20, from the inner end of which depends a vertical portion 21. Near the upper end of the standard 19 the same is slotted, as at 22, and likewise the vertical portion 21 is slotted. as at 23, for the passage therethrough of a shaft 24. The shaft 24 supports an elastic gelatinous or composition roller 25, which normally rests upon the upper surface of the inking disk 8. A yoke member 26 engages the ends of the shaft 2t and a tension screw 2, threaded in the horizontal portion 20 of the standard 1!), has its lower end bearing against the yoke 26 to thereby regulate the pressure of the roller on the surface of the inking disk 8.

The operation of the device may now be readily understood. A suitable quantity of ink being placed upon the disk 8, the (rank 10 wheel 16 is actuated by the operator, causing the disk 8 to be more or less rapidly rotated beneath the elastic roller 25, whereby the ink will be spread upon the surface of the disk 8 in a thin, uniform film. The tips of the fingers of the person Whose record is being made are then presented to the inked surface of the disk and thence transferred to the record sheet in the usual manner. is the successive impressions are taken of the various digits of the hands of the person whose finger print impressions are required, the disk 8 may be progressively rotated to present a freshly inked surface for each successive operation, it being readily understood that after a number of impressions are thus taken and the film of ink on the surface of the disk thereby disturbed, the same may be again brought to its proper condition by a repetition of the actuation of the crank wheel 16.

Having thus described the nature and characteristic features of my present inven tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An inking device for chines com 'irising a disk member adapted to receive a supply of ink, means for rotating said disk member an elastic roller supported above said disk member and hearing on the upper surface thereof, and means for varying the pressure of said roller againstsaid disk, said roller being arranged with its finger print maaXis of rotation approximately radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the disk member, and said axes being in fixed loca tions with respect to each other.

2. An inking device for finger print machines comprising a disk member adapted to receive a supply of ink, means for rotating said disk member, an elastic roller supported above said disk member and bearing on the upper surface thereof, and means for varying the pressure of said roller against said disk con'iprising a yoke engaging the shaft of said roller and an adjustable thumb screw bearing against said yoke.

3. An inking device for finger print machines comprising a disk member adapted to receive a supply of ink, means adapted to be manually actuated for rotating said disk member comprising a hand crank and intervening gearing, an elastic roller supported above said disk member at a fixed location approximately radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the disk member and bearing on the upper surface thereof, and means for varying the pressure of said roller against said disk.

4. An inking device for finger print machines comprising a disk member adapted to receive a supply of ink, means adapted to be manually actuated for rotating said disk member comprising a hand crank and intervening gearing, an elastic roller supported above said disk member and bearing on the upper surface thereof, and means for varying the pressure of said roller against said disk comprising a yoke engaging the shaft of said roller and an adiustable thumb screw bearing against said voke.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANCIS J. ROONEY. 

